Francisco Conceição has been waiting for this moment since the season began. Two posts — one against Parma, one against Milan — had denied him the goal his performances deserved. On Sunday afternoon against Atalanta, in the 62nd minute, the third attempt finally found the net. The Portuguese winger spoke to DAZN with the unbuttoned joy of a player who has shaken the dust off his boots and intends to keep them clean from here.
“The 1000th Goal of Spalletti’s Coaching Career? Good — He’ll Remember Me Forever”
The opening exchange set the warmth of the mood. Informed that his goal was the 1000th of Spalletti’s entire managerial career — a remarkable milestone — Conceição’s response was immediate and entirely in character: “Good — that way he will remember me forever.” A beat, and then the laugh. “But joking aside, I want to do more. We must continue like this because these are three very important points.”
“I Want to Become as Complete as Possible — Playing Inside, Outside, Even as a Fifth Defender”
On the multi-role demands Spalletti makes of him — tracking back as a wing-back, cutting inside as a trequartista, driving at defenders from wide: “I want to become as complete as possible — playing further inside or further out. I have also played as the fifth defender to help behind. I have to do a little bit of everything — helping in front and behind. Today you don’t win if you don’t play as a team.”
“Two Posts, and the Third Had to Go In — Goals Give Confidence”
On the goal that ended his wait and the celebration that accompanied it: “Yes — I had hit two posts and at the third attempt it had to go in. I am an attacker and I want to score goals. It gives us confidence. It is always better to score — even if the most important thing is always to win.”
“We Are Happy to Be Back Winning”
The second interview — from the tunnel at the Allianz Stadium — distilled the collective feeling in a single sentence: “We are really happy to be back winning.” After the Sassuolo defeat, after the days of external noise and internal self-examination, after the Europa League response against NEC — three points against Atalanta, in the season’s most anticipated domestic fixture, provides the competitive foundation everything else has been building towards. Conceição scored. The team won. And a winger who has been Spalletti’s most consistent performer since the season began finally has the goal to go alongside the performances.
